Cast flask clamp and method for clamping flask



CAST FLASK CLAMP AND METHOD FOR CLAMPING FLASK Filed NOV. 25, 1962 Feb. 8, 1966 J. A. KOLOSOWSKY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. dames jayfiyscfisusky Feb. 8, 1966 J. KOLQSOWSKY 3,233,293

CAST FLASK CLAMP AND METHOD FOR CLAMPING FLASK Filed Nov. 23, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I NVENTOR.

}ams janfiyaowsxf United States Patent 3,233,293 CAST FLASSK CLAMP AND METHOD FOR CLAMPING FLASK James A. Kolosowslry, Berrien Springs, Mich, assignor to Link-Belt Company, a corporation of Illinois Filed Nov. 23, 1962, Ser. No. 239,603 13 Claims. (Cl. 22-109) This invention relates generally to molding flasks and more particularly to a method and apparatus for clamping the cope and drag portions of molding flasks to each other.

In the formation of a casting, metal is frequently poured into a mold that is in two parts which are for-med in the cope and drag portions of a flask. The material is allowed to cool and solidify within the mold cavity and is subsequently removed therefrom as a solid casting. The upper portion of a molding flask is called the cope and the lower portion is called the drag. As the molten metal is poured through suitable gating into the mold cavity, the rising head of molten metal develops a force tending to float, or displace, the cope portion of the mold from its position upon the drag. When displacement occurs, molten metal spills from the mold cavity into the zone of separation between the cope and drag portions of the mold. It is, therefore, necessary to clamp the cope to the drag in order to prevent excessive flashing along the plane of separation of the cope and drag portions of the mold. In the past it has been the usual practice to utilize either a hand applied mechanical clamp or alternatively, to impose a weight upon the cope during the forming of a casting.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a new and improved flask clamp which will automatically clamp the cope and drag portions of the flask to each other when a casting is poured.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of forming a casting wherein the cope and drag portions of a mold flask are clamped to each other as an inherent part of the step of pouring the metal to form the casting.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a readily removable, integrally formed cast clamp adapted to lock the cope and drag of a flask to each other during formation of a casting.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of and apparatus for clamping the cope and drag portions of a mold to each other which eliminates the need for manually operated clamping devices or weights.

A further object of this invention is to provide a method of and apparatus for forming a casting wherein a clamp is formed within the molding flask to lock the cope and drag portions thereof to each other by a rapid solidification of a portion of the metal while the casting is being poured.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the same;

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view of a flask mold assembly taken through two of the clamp chill block assemblies and showing a clamp removal mechanism incorporating features of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the drag portion of the mold assembly of FIG. 1;

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of the cope portion of the mold assembly of FIG. 1;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the clamp chill block assembly of FIG. 1 constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Patented Feb. 8, 1966 FIGURE 6 is a vertical sectional view of the chill block assembly taken on line 66 of FIG. 5;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective of the casting of FIG. 1 and illustrates the integrally formed cast clamp of the present invention in place upon the casting;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modification of the chill block assembly of FIG. 2;

FIGURE 9 illustrates another modification of the chill block assembly of FIG. 2; and

FIGURE 10 illustrates a still further modification of the chill block assembly of FIG. 2.

In the drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration are shown several preferred embodiments of the invention and first particularly referring to FIG. 1, the apparatus illustrated includes a molding flask generally indicated by the reference numeral 10. The flask 10 is shown in its operative assembled condition and includes a cope 12 forming the upper portion thereof and a drag 14 forming the lower portion. The cope 12 includes a cylindrical casing 11 packed with foundry sand 16 and having a portion of the mold cavity formed therein. The drag 14 likewise includes a cylindrical casing 13 which is packed with sand 16 and has the remainder of the mold cavity formed therein. The gating 17 through which molten metal is poured into the mold and the runners 18 for distributing the metal in the mold as well as the riser 19 for releasing gas and excess metal from the mold cavity are formed in the cope portion of the mold. These formations are best illustrated in FIG. 4 and will be more fully discussed in the detailed description of this figure. As illustrated in FIG. 3, feeders 26 are formed in the drag portion of the mold for feeding the molten metal from the runners 18 to the mold cavity.

FIGURE 1 shows, as an example, a sprocket 21 cast within the flask 10. The sprocket 21 is formed by depositing molten metal through gating 17 for flow through runners 18 and feeders 20 into a mold cavity 22. The molten material thus entering the mold cavity 22 fills the cavity and excess metal rises in the riser 19 which leads directly from the hub portion 24 of the mold cavity. It will be understood that the gating 17, runners 18 and feeders 29 may be formed at any desired location in the flask in order to best accommodate distribution of molten material into the mold cavity 22.

The cope 12 and drag 14 of the flask it are provided with flanges 28 at both the top and bottom thereof and radially outwardly extending bosses 3t) and 32 are formed on adjacent flanges of the cope 12 and drag 14, respectively. Each of the bosses 3t and 32 has a hole 36 formed therein and pins 34 are positioned in the holes to maintain a predetermined alignment between the cope 12 and drag 14 to locate and align complementary portions of the cavity into which the molten material flows.

In addition to the molding flask 19, FIG. 1 illustrates a clamp removal apparatus 40. The apparatus 40 comprises a cylinder mounted on a base 43 and having a piston 44 disposed therein. It will be understood that this piston operates in the usual manner in response to the application of hydraulic or air pressure thereto. The actuating medium alternatively enters at inlet port 45 and is bled through a port 47 or enters port 47 and is bled through port 45. Transmission lines 49 and 51 lead from the ports 45 and 47 to a source of supply of pressure fluid or selectivity to a sump, not shown. A pair of longitudinally extending, vertically spaced arms 46 are mounted upon the outer end of a piston rod 42 that is connected to the piston 44. Each clamp removal apparatus 40 is so positioned relative to the flask 10 that extension of the piston rod 42 will cause the arms 46 to enter openings 43 in the cylindrical casings 11 and 13 of the cope 12 and drag 14-. As the arms 46 are moved inwardly through the openings 48, sand 16 is displaced and a cast clamp 50 is moved from its cope 12 and drag 14. A further description of the clamp 50 appears hereinafter in the detailed description of the remaining figures. It will be noted at this time that, under normal circumstances, a standard shake out procedure for removing the sand 16 and casting 21 from the fiask 10 will result in the clamp 50 being broken from the remainder of the casting after which it may easily be removed without the use of auxiliary equipment such as the clamp removal apparatus 40.

The cast clamp 50 is molded within a chill block assembly 53, which appears in the enlarged views of FIGS. and 6, and comprises a first chill block 54 that is welded or otherwise suitably mounted upon the inner wall of the cylindrical casing 11 of the cope 12 and a second chill block 56 similarly mounted upon the inner wall of the cylindrical casing 13 of the drag 14. The chill block 54 has a clamp cavity 58 defined therein, and the chill block 56 has a clamp cavity 60 defined therein. With the chill block assembly mounted in the manner illustrated in FIG. 2, molten metal will flow from the runner 18 through auxiliary runners 61 formed in the sand 16 in the cope 12 and into the clamp cavities 58 and 60. This metal is rapidly solidified by contact with the chill blocks 54 and 56 to form an integral clamp 50 to lock the cope 12 and drag 14 together. It will be obvious that, due to the configuration of the clamp cavities 58 and 66 of the chill blocks 54 and 56, respectively, the cope 12 may not float from its position upon the drag 14 as a result of the forces brought about by the rising head of molten metal within the cavity 22 in the flask 10.

The cavities 53 and 60 are so formed that a portion of each chill block 54 and 56 lies between some portion of the cavity and the dividing plane 59 between the two chill blocks. In addition, the cavities S8 and 60 are in open communication with each other at the dividing plane. It will be obvious that the chill cavities may assume various shapes and still meet the aforementioned generic description. The only requirement is that the cast clamp be so formed as to be vertically immovable in the chill blocks which are rigidly connected to the cope and drag. This is accomplished by the aforesaid arrangement wherein a portion of each block lies between the cavity and the dividing plane 59 with the cavities in open communication so that the molten metal will solidify therein as a solid, one piece clamping member.

Some of the many possible cavity configurations are illustrated in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10. A study of these figures will indicate that it would be necessary to remove the cast clamp from position within the clamp blocks in order to lift one from the other. In all of these figures a portion of the chill block, indicated by the like reference numeral 57, is positioned between the clamp cavity and the dividing plane 59. FIGURE 8 shows a form of chill block assembly 53a having chill blocks 54a and 56a with cavities generally comprising a figure 8 design formed therein to provide a clamp 50a. The clamp 50b of FIG. 9 is provided by a clamp assembly 53b having clamp blocks 54b and 56b with cavities positioned in slanted relationship to the dividing plane 59 between the cope 12 and drag 14. FIGURE shows a generally Z-shaped cast clamp 500 formed in the chill block assembly 530 which has its chill blocks 54c and 560 mounted in the manner discussed above.

It will be further understood that the individual chill blocks 54 and 56 may be so mounted on the cope 12 and drag 14 that the dividing plane 59 does not coincide with the plane of separation between the cope and drag. For example, if the shape of the casting were such that the cope 12 would tend to float prior to filling of the chill block cavities 58 and 60, it would be possible to lower the dividing plane 59 to a position at which this difliculty would be overcome. It is apparent from the above description that when a chill block 54 is mounted upon the cope 12 and a second chill block 56 is mounted upon l the drag 14 and the two members are joined by an integral solidified clamp 51?, the desired results will be accomplished.

The chill block clamp cavities 58 and 60 are fed molten material from the same gating 17 and runners 18 as the casting cavity 22. Since the runners 18 are maintained in flooded condition during pouring of the casting and the volume of the clamp cavities 58 and 64B is relatively small, these cavities will be filled prior to the complete filling of the cavity 22. In this manner the metal entering the chill blocks 54 and 56 solidifies before the metal in the cavity 22 has reached a sufficient volume to exert a lifting force on the cope 12. The floating of the cope 12 from the drag 14 is thus prohibited since the cope 12 is now clamped to the drag 14 by means of a solid cast clamp Stl.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, cavities 33 are formed in the sand 16 in the cope 12 and drag 14 immediately adjacent the cavities 58 and 60 of the chill blocks 54- and 56. These cavities 33 perform three important functions. First, they facilitate removal of sand from the cavities 58 and 66 when the mold is being formed. Second, they communicate with the runners 61 to provide a rapid flow of metal to completely fill the cavities 58 and 60 in the chill blocks 54 and 56 while the casting is being poured. Third, the solidified metal in the cavities 33 provides the means which facilitates removal of the clamps 51? from position within the chill block assemblies 39. The rods 56 of FIG. 1 enter the holes 43 to engage the portions of the casting within the cavities 33 and to thereby move the clamp 50 from the cavities 58 and 619 of each chill block assembly 53. It is apparent that the portions of the casting in the runners 61 will be broken in this operation.

FIGURE 7 illustrates the complete casting 21 that is formed within the flask ill. The clamps 5%) are shown integrally formed with the remainder of the casting 21. In practice, however, the clamps 5t) and the metal 33a from the cavities 33 would be broken from the casting by the removal of the clamps since disassembly of the cope 12 and drag 14 could not be undertaken with the clamps 5th in position within their respective chill block cavities. This breaking will normally occur at the portion 61a of the casting that is formed in the runner 61. The material 18a and 20a molded in the runners 18 and feeders 20, respectively, together with the material remaining in the gating 17 and riser 19 is removed subsequent to the removal of the casting 21 from the flask It The gating 17 and riser 19, as shown in FIGURE 7, illustrate relative positioning thereof with respect to the casting 21.

I have illustrated and described what I now consider to be the preferred embodiments of my invention. It will be understood, however, that various alterations and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. In a molding flask assembly including a cope and a drag having mold portions formed therein with cavities for receiving molten metal to form a casting, a clamp to fasten the cope to the drag during pouring of the casting comprising, first metalic clamp means rigidly connected to said cope, second metallic clamp means rigidly connected to said drag at a position adjacent said first clamp means when said cope and drag are assembled, said first and second clamp means having cavities formed therein and said mold portions providing a passageway between the cavities of both clamp means and said mold cavities, and an integrally cast member having portions cast within the cavities of said clamp means, said passageway and said mold cavities.

2. In a molding flask assembly including a cope and drag having mold portions formed therein for receiving molten metal to form a casting, a clamp to fasten the cope to the drag during pouring of the casting comprising,

a first metallic clamp member rigidly connected to said cope, a second metallic clamp member rigidly connected to said drag at a position adjacent said first clamp member when said cope and drag are assembled, said first and second clamp members having cavities formed therein with openings at the point of adjacency of the clamp members for communication with each other and said mold cavities including a passageway leading to said clamp cavities, and an integrally cast member having portions cast within the cavities of said clamp members, said passageway and said mold cavities.

3. In a molding flask assembly including a cope and a drag, the improvement which comprises metallic clamp means secured to said cope and providing an inwardly opening cavity, and metallic clamp means secured to said drag in operative relationship with the clamp means of said cope and providing an inwardly opening cavity, the cavities of said clamp means being arranged for communication with the mold cavity through a passageway to be provided when a mold is formed in said flask assembly, and the cavities of the operatively related clamp means having portions of the clamp means so shaped as to prevent separation of said cope and drag when these cavities have an integrally cast member formed therein.

4. In a molding flask having a cope member and a drag member, the improvement comprising a first metallic clamp member rigidly mounted on the inner wall of the cope and a second metallic clamp member rigidly mounted on the inner wall of the drag in operative relationship with said first clamp member, said first and second clamp members having cavities formed therein, said cavities being so formed that a portion of each clamp member lies partially between its cavity and the other member, the cavities of said first and second clamp members being arranged within the flask for communication through a passageway provided when a mold is formed in said flask, said clamp member portions preventing separation of said cope member and said drag member when said cavities have an integrally cast member formed therein.

5. In a molding flask having a cope and a drag, the improvement which comprises a first chill block fixedly associated with said cope, and a second chill block fixedly associated with said drag, said chill blocks being mounted with opposed surfaces in juxtaposition with each other when said cope and drag are assembled, each of said chill blocks having a cavity formed therein with an opening at its opposed surface and having a portion lying at least partially between the cavity and the plane of said opposed surfaces, said first and second chill cavities being arranged for flow communication therebetween through the openings at said opposed surfaces and for communication with a passageway between said chill cavities and the mold cavity provided when a mold is formed in said flask, said chill block portions preventing separation of said cope and said drag when said cavities have an integrally cast member formed therein.

6. A molding flask comprising a drag portion, a cope portion separable from the drag portion by relative movement therebetween in a direction normal to the plane of separation, and a plurality of clamping assemblies each comprising a first chill block fixed to said cope portion, and a second chill block fixed to said drag portion, said chill blocks having opposed surfaces at a selected dividing plane when the flask is assembled, and each of said blocks having a cavity formed therein communicating with the interior of the flask with an opening at said dividing plane for reception of molten cast metal therethrough and with a portion of the block lying between the cavity and the dividing plane in a direction normal to said plane of separation, said chill block openings being in register, said chill block portions preventing separation of said drag portions and said cope portions when said cavities have an integrally cast member formed therein.

7. A molding flask assembly comprising a drag having a portion of a mold formed therein, a cope positioned upon said drag portion and having the remainder of the mold formed therein, the assembled cope and drag portions of said mold providing a cavity therein, said cavity including passageways for the flow of molten material to fill the cavity, a first chill block mounted upon said drag, and a second chill block mounted upon said cope, said first and said second chill blocks each having a clamp cavity formed therein, and said mold cavity including passageways for the flow of molten metal to the clamp cavities during filling of the mold cavity therewith for rapid solidification to clamp the cope to the drag.

8. A molding flask assembly comprising a drag having a mold portion formed therein, a cope mounted on said drag and having the remaining portion of the mold formed therein, said mold providing a cavity therein with passageways for the flow of molten material to fill the cavity, and a plurality of clamp assemblies each comprising a first chill block rigidly mounted upon said cope, and a second chill block rigidly mounted upon said drag, the chill blocks of each clamp assembly having opposed surfaces in face to face relationship when said flask is assembled and each having a clamp cavity formed therein with an opening at said opposed surface, each of said chill blocks having a portion thereof lying between its cavity and the dividing plane between said opposed surfaces, and said mold cavity including passageways for the flow of molten metal to each clamp assembly and its clamp cavities during filling of the mold cavity therewith.

9. A method of locking the cope of a molding flask to the drag during the formation of a casting comprising forming an integral cast clamp member within the flask by flowing molten metal while the casting is being formed through a flow path having portions in overlying relationship with a portion of the cope and in underlying relationship with an adjacent portion of the drag, and rapidly cooling the metal in overlying and underlying relationship with said cope and drag, respectively, and in the portion of the flow path therebetween to solidify the same with said portions of the cope and drag clamped between the overlying and underlying parts of the solidified metal.

10. A method of clamping the cope and drag of a molding flask together during formation of a casting comprising flowing molten metal while the casing is being formed through a flow path leading to a clamp cavity in the cope and an adjacent clamp cavity in the drag, forming a link of molten metal between the clamp cavities of said cope and drag, and rapidly cooling the metal in said cavities and in said link to solidify the same and to thereby clamp said cope to said drag.

ii. A method of clamping the cope and drag of a molding flask together during formation of a casting comprising flowing molten metal from the casting to a plurality of spaced locations adjacent the inner wall of the flask, flowing molten metal from each of said locations into overlying relationship with a portion of said cope and into underlying relationship with a portion of said drag, and rapidly cooling the molten metal in said overlying and underlying relationship and the molten metal therebetween to quickly solidify the cooled metal and to clamp said portions of the cope and drag to each other at each of said locations.

12. A method of clamping the cope and drag of a molding flask to each other during the formation of a casting comprising flowing molten metal from the casting to a plurality of spaced locations adjacent the inner wall of the flask and in alignment with the line of sep aration between the cope and drag, flowing molten metal from each of said locations into a cavity that is formed in said cope and into an adjacent cavity that is formed in said drag in communication with the cavity in said cope, and rapidly cooling the molten metal in said cavities and in the area of communication therebetween to quickly solidify the cooled metal and to clamp the cope and the drag to each other at each of said locations.

13. A method of forming a casting in a molding flask assembly including a cope and a drag comprising forming a mold portion in said cope and a second mold portion in said drag to provide a mold cavity within the flask when the cope and drag are assembled with runners leading to a plurality of spaced locations adjacent the inner Wall of the flask, pouring molten metal into said mold cavity for flow through said runners to said spaced locations, admitting molten metal from each of said locations to communicating cavities overlying a portion of said cope and underlying a portion of said drag, respectively adjacent each location, rapidly cooling the metal in said communicating cavities to solidify the same and to clamp the cope and drag to each other at each of said locations while the poured metal fills the remainders of the mold cavity, and, after all of the poured metal has solidified, removing the metal from said communieating cavities by breaking the metal in the runners to said locations to permit separation of said cope and drag and removal of the casting.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 444,606 1/1891 Davis 22l28 521,451 6/1894 Adams 22109 694,395 3/1902 Levalley 22128 707,596 8/1902 Kiss 22-l09 728,956 5/1903 Mitchell 22-128 1,586,321 5/1926 Newport 22194 XR 1,943,434 1/1934 Hernpstead et a1 22-128 J. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner.

MICHAEL V. BRINDISI, Examiner. 

1. IN A MOLDING FLASK ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A COPE AND A DRAG HAVING MOLD PORTIONS FORMED THEREIN WITH CAVITIES FOR RECEIVING MOLTEN METAL TO FORM A CASTING, A CLAMP TO FASTEN THE COPE TO THE DRAG DURING POURING OF THE CASTING COMPRISING, FIRST METALIC CLAMP MEANS RIGIDLY CONNECTED TO SAID COPE, SAECOND METALLIC CLAMP MEANS RIGIDLY CONNECTED TO SAID DRAG AT A POSITION ADJACENT SAID FIRST CLAMP MEANS WHEN SAID COPE AND DRAG ARE ASSEMBLED, SAID FIRST AND SECOND CLAMP MEANS HAVING CAVITIES FORMED THEREIN AND SAID MOLD PORTIONS PROVIDING A PASSAGEWAY BETWEEN THE CAVITIES OF BOTH CLAMP MEANS AND SAID MOLD CAVITIES, AND AN INTEGRALLY CAST MEMBER HAVING PORTIONS CAST WITHIN THE CAVITIES OF SAID CLAMP MEANS, SAID PASSAGEWAY AND SAID MOLD CAVITIES. 